Technology for an aging population

SENIOR MATTERS
By Lesley Fernow

    Are you feeling anxious and overwhelmed by the rapid evolution of technology? Do you ever say to yourself “I am too old for this?” Do you reminisce about how simple things were 20 years ago? If so, you are not alone. While technological “advances” may be exciting and captivating for young people, for many people who were educated in the days of pen, paper, the current tech explosion is confusing and, frankly, frightening.

    As an aging “boomer” myself, I confess that despite the steep learning curve, some of the new technology promises fantastic advances for seniors if we can learn just the basics and embrace it willingly without fear. Here are just a few examples:
• Skype, which is a very simple “high tech” way to telephone your friends and family using the Internet, allowing you to see the person you are talking with and to have family get-togethers when distances make visits too costly and difficult. As long as you have Internet connection (cable TV for example can be purchased with Internet connectivity), you can buy a Skype phone (if you only want to push one button to dial (it has a built-in screen and very simple controls) or can have an inexpensive computer configured to make Skype calls very easily and inexpensively to anywhere in the world. Any teenager can help you set it up! What fun to see the grandchildren with a quick dial of the phone!
• Medication box with automated reminder system that speaks to you to let you know it is time to take your medication. This is invaluable for a senior who lives alone and is becoming forgetful. It can be prefilled by the pharmacist for safety and is tamper-proof. What peace of mind for family caregivers who live apart.
• Internet: while more daunting, this skill allows you to shop and browse, look up unfamiliar concepts, watch movies, or do brain fitness courses at your leisure on your schedule from the comfort of home. This is so much fun, and can keep you connected with an entire world outside when you have mobility problems making getting out difficult. Much more engaging than daytime soap operas and quiz shows and better for you! You can join book clubs, discussion blogs, and educational programs from your living room.
    The basic skills can be learned quickly. Courses specifically for older adults (who may need slower pace and more patience) are taught regularly by the PHEC and recently the Senior Network in Dover has purchased iPad tablet-sized computers and trained its members on their use. Their next training session is Thursday, April 24.
    These are just a few of the many exciting and world-expanding opportunities that await seniors who learn even very basic tech skills. It is not true “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I know many people in their 80s and 90s who love getting on their computers. Many aging adults have found new friends, new interests and renewed vitality using this technology.
    I urge seniors and their younger family members to discuss what technology advances could do to enhance your quality of life. It doesn’t replace person-to-person contacts. It just adds more opportunity for connectedness, which determines your happiness and future capacities as you age.
    For more information about the Senior Network computer education call Jane Conroy at 564-3265.
    We invite readers to offer feedback about this column and to suggest topics for future articles. You may do so by contacting Meg Callaway of the Charlotte White Center at (207) 947-1410 or meg.callaway@charlottewhite.org or Lesley Fernow at (207) 992-6822 and lmfernow@rcn.com.